Love Unfeigned

II Corinthians 6:6 b instructs us to minister “by love unfeigned.” What exactly does this indicate? The word, “love,” in this passage is “agape.” The word, “unfeigned,” means to be “sincere,” and it comes from two words, which mean “father” and “to decide,” respectively.

Let’s put this together. The only way I can have “love unfeigned” is to be attuned to my heavenly Father and to make the unwavering decision to love, not as the world loves, but with His godly agape love.

Agape love is not something I possess. So, if I do not possess agape love, then how do I minister with “love unfeigned?” My heavenly Father gifts me with His agape love, when I firmly decide give this love away, not to those who deserve it; but rather as a decision of the will. I then am equipped to give love unfeigned to those in my sphere of influence as God’s Spirit directs.

Let’s take this a step further. Who am I to my Heavenly Father? I am the Bride of Christ, and so are you. Let’s look at the love our Groom, Beloved Jesus, instills within our spirits.

Song of Solomon Chapter Four speaks of you, as the Bride of Christ (allegorically, the Bride of Beloved Solomon), possessing the same love that belongs to your Beloved Groom. Here, the love described is the Hebrew word, dowd, which means “a love that boils.”

If you are able to attain this love (dowd), then do you always exhibit it? No, elsewhere in the vignette, you express lesser forms of love.

If this is so, then how do you possess your Husband’s love in Chapter Four? It is because, precious Bride, you have come into the mountaintop retreat with your Beloved Groom, and you have focused upon Him, and Him alone. Only in this mountaintop retreat, set apart, as you adore your Husband-King, do you attain this elevated status and it is here that you possess His magnificent love.

I dare say, when you descend the mountaintop, you can give ‘love unfeigned” to those you minister to. Why? You carry within you an all-consuming divine love for your Groom, Jesus Christ. Because He loves you, and because you have received His love, you can minister divine agape love to those around you.

If you want to possess “love unfeigned,” then you must run after intimacy with your Beloved King Jesus Christ and tarry in His mountaintop retreat. This is better known as your prayer closet. Abide with Him there. Then you will effectively give “love unfeigned” to those around you.

Diane Virginia Cunio is the author of The Kiss of Peace: An Intimate Exploration into Song of Solomon and Behind the Veil: Becoming the Bride of Song of Solomon (both awaiting publication). She is passionate about sharing Beloved Jesus’ divine love for you, His bride, as allegorically portrayed in the vignette, Song of Solomon.

She has developed the model for motion-activated musical prayer-stations for use in the garden retreat, themed to the places you as Beloved’s bride travel to in Song of Solomon.

Diane is a regular contributor for Christian Broadcasting Network. She has written for Faith Beyond Fear, Pentecostal Publishing House, The Secret Place, and other ministries.

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